People have been complaining about the heat wave here in NYC. Yes, it's hot and humid, as it should be in July and August. The weather is pushing us to step off the fast track. Yet, we can still get the work done. One can often accomplish more when operating in smoother groove. You don't even need an AC. I've been living without the artificial conditioning of captured air for years. I find the fans to be much more effective to cool and circulate the air. And my body became more resilient to hot and humid weather. We're made to adjust to the changes in temperature gradually from season to season. Our inner sensors get overwhelmed when exposed to the constant swinging from the indoor ice cubicles to the scorching concrete jungle to the subway sweat lodges, all in a course of a workday.
Most of the time I don't even realize that we're going through an extreme wave until I hear people complain. Yes, I know what the temperatures are: I check a weather website every night before turning off the computer. Okay, it'll be colder or warmer tomorrow. And perhaps we'll have some rain, or show. But I don't react to it. I make a mental note, and prepare. At the peak of the July heat, I was walking around Manhattan and Brooklyn, distributing the cards for my eurythmy classes. I spread wholesome sunscreen on my skin, put on flowing linen and cotton clothes, donned on a wide-brimmed hat. And off I went, mindfully. Enjoying the Sun, grateful for its nourishments. Side effect? I slept well that night.
We're at the height of Summer here in the Northern hemisphere. In the Celtic calendar, the festival of Lammas on August 2 marks the mid-point of the Sun's path between the Summer Solstice on June 21 and the Autumn Equinox on September 23. We have observed the ripening of Nature, and soon we will be gathering the harvest. But first, let's be still for a moment. Notice how everything tends to slow down at this transition from July to August.
Sit or lay down at your favorite spot, the one that has at least a touch of Nature surrounding it. For those of us living in New York City, or other big cities, this may be a challenge, but Nature envelops us even in the man-made jungle. Step out of your cubicle. Seek out a lone tree on the block; go to the river moving past the concrete piers; notice the Sun and the clouds dancing in the sky. Take a break from work; it's called vacation. Vacate the tight environs, and spend time outdoors.
Yes, go ahead, allow yourself to follow a gentler pace. Soak in the Sun. Let the light and warmth transform your Soul. Abandon the hectic schedule, forced upon us by the materialistic, profit-driven Western civilization. Embrace a slower flow. Breathe in the Nature in all her sumptuousness. Ah, the abundance of August: brightness, heat and humidity, harvest. Spend time by yourself. And simply be. Expand to feel in unison with the Universe. Cherish the sense that you belong to the world of Spirit. Your physical body is the center of activities in the world of matter. Your spiritual essence is the periphery that embraces you, always. Summer is the season that offers all the ingredients to nourish the space between your physical core and spiritual expansiveness. Replenish this etheric bubble--your chi energy field--with the gifts of Light, Love, Life from the Source. Dance with the Summer stars. Meditate with the bright planets.
Later, we will come together to work and celebrate in our communities. Right now, let's relax and merge with the Sun and Light. May the humid air feed the life-sustaining waters within you. May the hot sunrays penetrate the core of our being and melt away anything that is not of pure Love.
Over to you, dear Soulful Reader:
How do you soak in the Sun in the middle of Summer?